The department shall develop a request for a proposal, and may award a contract to an expert contractor to implement the standards and practices established by the Medi-Cal Therapeutic Drug Utilization Review System through use of a therapeutically oriented drug utilization review system by July 1, 1989. The contract shall include a requirement to analyze the therapeutic outcomes of the Medi-Cal Drug Program using the California MMIS for the period of July 1, 1987, through the date the standards established by this article are implemented. Thereafter, the contractor shall submit quarterly reports to the department and the Legislature analyzing therapeutic outcomes in a manner that will allow comparisons with the experience analyzed for the period of July 1, 1987, until implementation of the standards established by this article. The analysis shall include reports on at least the following items:

(a) Compatibility of medication to diagnosis.

(b) Overprescribing of drugs.

(c) Prescription of contraindicated or incompatible drugs.

(d) Number of days of drug-induced hospitalization and institutionalizati on in nursing facilities or all categories of intermediate care for the developmentally disabled occurring because of the factors specified in subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive.

(e) Number of days of drug-induced hospitalization and institutionalizati on in nursing facilities or any category of intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled avoided due to changes in drug regimes which result from compliance by prescribers and beneficiaries with the standards established pursuant to this article.

The department is authorized to require the contractor to phase in implementation of the prescriber notification, as established by protocols for informing prescribers of inappropriate prescribing.

(Amended by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1329, Sec. 33. Effective September 26, 1990.)